Age discrimination

Age Discrimination: Bracing for Bias Since 1994, the ratio of 1:5 involves age discrimination with overall discrimination. The percentage of age discrimination cases rose from nineteen to twenty-four between 1998 and 2002. Its believed that wide spread age discrimination reaches people in their late forty's rather than the late fifty's, early sixty's. This conclusion seems to hold true in technology and financial service industries. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that age discrimination for women begins sooner than for men. Inn some industries, age discrimination against women begins at the age of thirty-four. Possible reasons for age discrimination are the attraction of youth and economic turbulence. When reading a magazine, the information and pictures depict young people. It seems as if the target audience is the young people, especially women. The U.S. seems to suffer from this syndrome more than any other nation. By concentrating on youth, companies are overlooking the older generation of worker's possible contributions. Employers are forcing out and eliminating positions held by older individuals. These positions are typically higher-paid positions. At the same time, if they

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits discrimination o the basis of age for employees age forty and over. By forcing out older employees, employers are making room for the younger generation of employees that will bring a high potential. If positive changes are made, then companies and employers can realize and learn the value of the older generation of workers. " A company wouldn't have to worry about an older employee's health insurance as much as a younger employee's health insurance because the older employee is less likely to carry as many people. An older employee will also keep that same level of work ethic that they started with. According to Anna Rappaport, principal of Chicago based Mercer Human Resource Consulting, "Employers are starting to invest more time in how they manage, develop, and leverage the talent of all age demographics. The employer could have or develop retirement plans in the older worker's favor and recognize the experience an older employee brings to the company. bring in a younger employee, the salary won't be the same, so the company saves a little money. No doubt there will come a time a person can perform at the levels he or she is used to. The reasoning used are nature of competition intensifying, rapid consolidations and aggressive cost cutting. Promotion of the experience of older workers and dispelling negative rumors about older employees will raise awareness and cut back on age discrimination. The declining birth rate will play a key factor in this need. For example, with "phased retirement" programs, employees can retire in stages by reducing the number of hours worked prior to retiring , being rehired in a different capacity after retirement, and taking another job after retirement. In the future, the need for older workers will become more prevalent.